Jack Cross: A man fighting for redemption
by Raven201
Summary: Jack has already lost the love of his life. When Calypso calls upon him to enter the contest what will he do? What will he wish for if he makes it out alive?


Car Name- DarkCypher  
  
Car Type-1967 Mustang, black with white stripes. The phrase "The world is yours" is on the driver and passenger doors.  
  
Handling 8/10 Speed 9/10 Armor 4/10 Special 6/10  
  
Special- A sonar missile. Tracks enemy cars through sound and movement. When the missile is 5 meters from selected target, the missile breaks into three just as damaging missiles  
  
Patient Profile  
  
Name of Driver- Jack Cross Age: 17 From: New York, NY  
  
Disorder- Acute post-traumatic stress disorder, Bipolar I, episodic depression, homicidal.  
  
Treatment- Grief counseling, shock therapy, Anti-depressants, 24 hour lockdown, hypnosis.  
  
Chapter1: Beginning: The End to Suffering  
  
Life is beautiful. That is what everyone wants to believe. But I don't believe it. Not anymore. Personally, I'll pulled a Patrick Bateman and gut any fucker who said this to me now. Life is not beautiful. Its dark, unfair, and tragic, things it shouldn't be. Anyway, I apologize about the outburst mentioning killing someone. To think that is why I'm here in the first place.  
  
No don't distort my words. I have never hurt or killed anyone in my entire life. Never had the chance or the desire to. Makes me sound more guilty right? No, I'm in here because of Katie. I lost her. That son-of-a- bitch took her from me. I remember when he was killing her, the love of my life, all he could do was smile. The bastard had the nerve to grin at me. Now here I am spending the rest of my life in hell, while that monster runs free to kill others.  
  
Then he walked in.  
  
He called himself Calypso. He said he ran a contest. Twisted Metal. Said if I won I would get what I truly desired. I was about to tell him to fuck off and leave me alone, when he pulled something out of his pocket and threw it my way..  
  
It was Katie necklace! It was tainted with dried blood, but I could still tell it was the one. The snowflake, silver with white diamonds, now had blood all over it, ruining its beauty. Calypso said I could have it if I enter the contest, plus my prize if I win.  
  
Katie...That Monster.....What should I do?  
  
I finally decided to enter the contest. I have nothing left to lose as it is. Hey who knows, I might even win. My anger is my adrenaline as I remember about that night.  
  
Besides they say death is a form of freedom.  
  
Chapter 2: Middle: Afterglow of Regret  
  
I have beaten Minion. That wuss was a cream puff without his shield. As I watch his vehicle explode all I could see was the large piece of metal coming at my car, hitting the windshield with full force.  
  
I was out for hours. It seems when your unconscious, memories, events, things you try to forget, coming rushing back. All I ever wanted was to forget that night, and all I could dream about was that night.  
  
But before I could the past came first..  
  
I remember her like it was it nothing. A tall beautiful young woman of Asian ethnicity with long black hair and a pair of blue eyes as deep as the ocean that stop you dead in your tracks. The sweetest girl you could ever meet.  
  
I remember back then I was having problems at home. My parents were always fighting, shouting, screaming, it got to me. Because of it, I started getting sick and depressed. It took awhile, but eventually my parents noticed and got me help. The doctors gave me medication, but it seemed they didn't work, as well they should have. Something was missing from my life, and then she walked into it.  
  
I was introduced to Katie through one from one of my best friends. We seem to have a lot in common and played off each other. I always seem to make her laugh, and she always made me feel uncomfortable, but in a good way.  
  
My feelings started to change for Katie after awhile. I felt that I wanted more than just her friendship. Though I kept those thoughts to myself. I thought what would she see in a loser like me? I never knew she felt the same way.  
  
One day I went over to her house. She had called me, said she had to talk to me about something important and so I went. When I got there she was on the verge of tears. I ask what was wrong and she started to explain.  
  
"I realize now that there is this perfect guy I know that I have so much in common with, and that I like but I do not how to tell him how I feel." Katie said, a tears brimming in her beautiful eyes. I said maybe I could understand better if I knew who he was. She surprised me with the answer. "You", she began, "I love you", she choking out the words and giving a sad smile as a tear fell down her cheek. I was stunned, all I could think was She likes me? I didn't know how to respond at first, but finally I knew. I looked into her eyes and wiped her tears away touching her face gently. Then I just went for and kissed her on lips both gentle and passionate at the same time. When I broke the kiss moments later, I whispered softly into her ear "I love you."  
  
That's were everything began.  
  
Of course how parents are, they didn't approve of our relationship for some time. They finally realized how one was making the other so happy and vice versa, that they relented. Personally, I was happier than I have ever been in my life. For the first time, I wasn't depressed, and even if I was, being with Katie made all that shit go away, if only for awhile. We were inseparable and life was good. Then one night tore it all away..  
  
It was December 24th; Christmas Eve, and we were walking through the city, holding hands, talking, laughing, and smiling. I remember her smile. God I loved that smile. That smile made everything all better. In my pocket was a present I was about to give her: a silver snowflake necklace with white diamonds. It was perfect for her; I was just waiting for the right moment to give it to her.  
  
Times Square was lit head to toe with lights with a gigantic tree in the middle decorated with every light it could hold. This was the perfect place. I stopped walking and so she did to look at the tree. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the necklace and walked behind her and clasped around her neck. Noticing, she looked down and grinned. Turning around looking at me she asked in a nonchalant manner, "And what is for?" a smile starting to form. Pausing for a moment I answered back nonchalantly as well, "Oh that? Nothing but a present for my little Angel." Then she planted a sweet kiss on my cheek and whispered into my ear, "It's beautiful, thank you Jack."  
  
We continue to walk the street oblivious to everything around us. New York was getting darker and everything was shutting down. People started to leave the streets in droves. As for us we had a way to go before we were home. Then everything went wrong.  
  
We got lost. Seems highly unlikely for a pair of New Yorkers, but it can happen when it gets so dark, when the street and the roads mesh together, when the signs go astray. We weren't scared because we thought we find our way soon. Unfortunately, the world had other plans for us.  
  
They were deadly silent and we never saw them coming, but come they did. The next thing I knew I was on the ground with a splitting headache, and Katie was screaming. Moments later everything came into focus.  
  
There was four of them two were holding me, one holding Katie, and then there was the leader, grinning the evil grin I would love to break. Finally after an eternity of silence he spoke, "Well, well, well, what do we have here? A scuffed up loser and his Asian whore. Quite the combination don't you think guys?" The other three only grunted and grinned in reply. "Well, I think we should have a little fun, he continued, starting with her!" He pointed at Katie and she started to scream and cry.  
  
I screamed him, "You soulless prick! You touch one hair on her body, I swear to god I'll gut you completely and leave your excuse of a carcass on your mother's doorstep! I'll make it so that you wished you never fucking met me!"  
  
That Bastard only grinned, and replied " Big words from a little man, can't you see? You've been chosen, and we have the upper hand."  
  
All of sudden he moved with lightning fast reflexes. I saw a glint of huge kitchen knife, straight out of a Halloween movie. Katie had only the time to scream my name before the knife hit home. She was stabbed in her chest dead center the blade going in deep. As the blood slowly trickled down she was silent, only tears falling down her face looking at the man who did this to her. He took the blade out and began to attack again but not before adding, "Don't die on me sweetie. I'm not done with you yet."  
  
I was stunned. With strength I never knew I had I broke free from the two thugs and charged him. They caught up to me quick, and started to beat the shit out of me. I tried to fend them off, to get past them, but my punches seem to have no effect, and they just hit me harder and more than I ever could be able to. The leader of the pack continued his deed stabbing her over and over too many times to count. All I could do was tried to fend them off with no success. He stabbed her one more time and told the fourth guy to let her go. He did and she fell to the ground like a rag doll. I could only choked out "Katie.."  
  
The leader finally said something while my beat down was still going on, "ENOUGH!! That's enough guys! Stop, I'll finish this, stand him up." He looked at me straight in the eye and said, "Nothing personal man, its just the thrill of the kill. Sorry bout your girl and all but if its any consolidation you both have put a smile on my face." Then he stabbed me with a nice poke in the ribs. Not fatal, but it hurt like hell. With that he wiped off the knife, put it in my hand and knocked me out cold.  
  
I don't know how long I was out, but I finally came to. I looked at Katie, my god she was still alive! I rushed to her forgetting the pain and the knife in my hand. She looks at me such agony, it enraged me in a way I can't describe in words. She mutters, "Jack.God it hurts.Jack, I don't want to die." "I know", I respond crying, "I want you to live, because I need you. Katie this tears me up inside so bad. Please don't go I love you so fucking much." Tears fell down my face one after another, and Katie gave me a weak smile. "Jack.don't.let.me.go..." were her last words as the light in her eyes began to fade, and fade, then die. I couldn't move, couldn't scream, and couldn't do a thing. I was looked into her cold, dead eyes and knew they would haunt me for the rest of my life. As I hadn't suffered enough, fate had plans for me..  
  
A police officer just be happening to be walking the down the same street when he came to where we were. He saw the knife first, then Katie dead, and me. He acted like he should and pulled his gun and shouted "FREEZE FUCKER!"  
  
And then it was over. I booked for murder on Christmas Eve for Katie's death. The knife had all my prints on it and wouldn't you know it was linked surprisingly to the deaths of ten others. I tried to tell them about the four-gang members that really killed her but no one bought it and knew I was guilty as sin. I was royally fucked. Even Johnny Cochran couldn't get me off. Not only I was falsely accused of killing Katie, but now ten more? If there was any good of the whole ordeal was my sentencing. Judging by my record of mental illness, they concluded that I just snapped and killed her and everyone else. Thinking I was too unstable for a regular jail and too young for the death penalty because I was still a minor thank god, they sent me to Blackfield. Of course Katie's family didn't take that so well. Her father rushed the court and punched me out cold. I didn't blame him; he thought I killed his daughter. If even only knew someone way worse than me actually did it.  
  
Then the memories stopped.ended just like that and I awoke. I was halfway through the contest and I still didn't know what I wanted. Well I have lived my entire life of instinct so by the end of this I would know what to do. I didn't have much time though. Timing is everything you know.  
  
Chapter 3: Redemption for a suffering soul  
  
Well what do you know? Yet another poor excuse of a fighter hiding behind a shield. As the Warhawk chopper was blown to bits mid-air I could feel my chill being replaced with warmth that ran through my system. Finally I could make everything right again.  
  
I went to Calypso and he asked me if I knew what I wanted. Did I want revenge, death to these murders, or something else? I stepped forward and cleared my throat and began, "Calypso before I decide I want to say something first. Before I signed up I knew things about this contest. I heard all the stories where past winners were tricked either having their wishes taken literally or dying from them. I believe those rumors. However you have done some good with your contest. I remember hearing that ten years ago, you gave a dead man his life back so he could be with his wife and child, last I heard there were still a happy family. Those small bits of goodness, that is which you will be remember best by." I pulled out Katie necklace, her dried blood still on it. "I know I could take the easy way out and wish for revenge, but I realize that Katie wouldn't have wanted it. No has the right to take a life. No one has the right to take the life of another. No one. And everyone, everyone, deserves a future. Everyone doesn't believe or follow this rule but I do. I broke it though by being in this contest so I know what I must wish to make it right." I paused for a moment, regaining my composure and finally say it, "I wish that two months ago on Christmas Eve, me and Katie stayed home at her house, instead of venturing outside in the path of those killers." Calypso slightly surprised then masking back to his trademark smirk quietly recited, "Done." As I saw this line of time swirl into oblivion, I could faintly hear Calypso said "Good luck with your life Jack. Hope things turn out ok.".  
  
I then was in there home. I was in Katie's fucking room! My mind did a whoop of joy. Then a familiar voice called out and my heart stopped. "Jack? Are you okay?" I walked to the sound of the velvety voice and there she was, alive and showing her smile that was to die for. "Okay?" I asked nonchalantly, then pulling here in for a kiss. When we broke the kiss, all I said was, "Okay? I'm great. Better than I ever was."  
  
She continued to look deep into my eyes for some times, until she looked out her window and exclaimed, "Jack, look it's snowing outside, and pretty heavy." I looked outside and true to her to word it was snowing pretty good; the roads were already covered with several inches of the white powder. I grinned and replied, "I guess I am going to be here longer than I thought, because there is no way I can go out in that stuff and live."  
  
"Oh you are so overdramatic, come on let's go outside, just for a few minutes please?" her eyes lighting up. "Oh all right", I said with mock defeat, the truth being I want to be out, even for a few moments as well.  
  
So we stepped outside, the snow completely covering us up in a matter of seconds, but I didn't care. It was so beautiful. I must have been thinking for too long because then a snowball to the head pasted me. I sputtered and Katie burst out laughing.  
  
. With mock anger I bellowed, "You are now officially", grabbing a snowball of my own with revenge on the mind, "A dead woman." To make a long story short we had a snowball fight to end all snowball fights. In the end we were frozen to the bone shivering, though with huge grins on our faces. I knew this would be the perfect time for my gift.  
  
"Ok Katie, surprise time! You like surprises right? Now close your eyes, this only works when no one is looking!" She compiled and closed her eyes. Quickly I got the snowflake necklace out of pocket and clasped it around her neck. " A few magic hand signals then Poof! Okay! You can open your eyes now." She looked down and smiled. I got a kiss and a thank you out of that. As we look up to the sky, the snow that stopped a few moments ago, started up again yet slower than before. Katie stood up and twirled around like a little girl would laughing as the snow fell in her hair. I just sat there staring in awe. God I'm crazy about that girl, I thought. Maybe I was wrong all along. Life it seems is more beautiful to me then ever before.  
  
END 


End file.
